Sunday, 22 March 2020

Book Review: The Gilded Cage by Camilla Lackberg

The Gilded Cage
by
Camilla Lackberg
Translated from Swedish by Neil Smith


Publisher: Harper Collins Australia
Publication date: 23rd March 2020
Genre: Crime / Thriller
Pages: 352
RRP: $35.00 AUD
Format read: uncorrected proof paperback
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Better Reading

 

People would kill to have Faye von Essen’s life. She lives in an ultra-swanky apartment in the most exclusive area of Stockholm, she has a gorgeous husband who gives her everything she’s ever wanted, and she has an adorable daughter who lights up her world. Faye’s life is perfect.

So how is it, then, that she now finds herself in a police station?

The truth is that Faye’s life is far from what it seems. The truth is that Faye isn’t even her real name. And now she’s been caught out. There’s no way she’s going to go down without a fight. The only question is – who will escape with their life?

 
Reading the Gilded Cage for me was much like coming across a train wreck. There was carnage everywhere and you don’t want to look but you just can’t stop reading.

The main character, Faye, had no redeeming qualities and even though the author revealed Faye’s troubled upbringing and over-bearing husband, it did nothing to endear me to her. She did too many horrendous things to ever be likeable.

The trope is a well used one; a tale of subservience, misogyny, betrayal, obsession and revenge.

The husband, of course, is a total low-life. We are not meant to have any feelings towards him except for maybe deep animosity. However there was one thing he was meant to have done, although predictable in a plot sense, was too unbelievable.

The big twist at the end was predicted half way through the story.

Even though the story included a host of unlikable characters (except best friend Chris) and the plot line was predictable, the story pulled me in and I couldn’t let go until the end.

Content: over use of coarse language & explicit sex scenes.

🌟🌟🌟


My rating  3/5


Camilla Lackberg is a worldwide bestseller renowned for her brilliant contemporary psychological thrillers. her novels have sold over 24.5 million copies in 43 countries with translations into 37 languages.



 

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